Unit 12 Ships in the desert 译文与词汇

lap( v．) :move or strike gently with a light，splashing sound such as a dog makes in lapping(波浪)拍打；泼溅
divert ( v．) :turn aside；deflect转移；使(人或物)转向；岔开，使偏斜
Antarctic ( adj. ) :of or near the South Pole南极的；近南极的；南极区的；南极地带的；南极周围的
Trans—Antarctic (adj.) : crossing or spanning the Antarctic横贯南极的；横贯南极地带的
glacier( n.) :a slowly moving river or mass of ice and snow that forms in areas where the rate of snowfall constantly exceeds the rate at which the snow melts冰河；冰川
accessible ( adj.) : easy to approach or enter能够接近的；能够进去的；易接近的；易进去的
trap ( v．) : entrap诱捕；计捉
inexorable ( adj.) :that cannot be altered，checked不可变的；不可抗拒的；无情的
graph ( n.) :a diagram consisting of nodes and links and representing logical relationships or sequences of events(曲线)图，标绘图；图表；图形
slab ( n.) :a piece that is flat，broad，and fairly thick平板；厚片
frigid ( adj.) :extremely cold极冷的，寒冷的，严寒的
snowmobile ( n.) : motor vehicles for traveling over snow (机动)雪车；(履带式)雪上汽车
rendezvous ( n.) : a place designated for meeting 指定集合地；会合点
hover ( v．) :stay suspended or flutter in the air near oneplace 盘旋
eerie，eery ( adj. ) :mysterious or weird神秘的，离奇的；阴森的，可怕的．
hummock ( n.) :ridge or rise in an ice field冰群；(冰原上的)冰丘collide ( v．) : crash碰撞；猛撞；互撞
scenario ( n.) :a sequence of events esp. when imagined (设想中的)未来事态；方案
controversial ( adj. ) : debatable争论的；引起争论的；
equator ( n.) :an imaginary circle around the earth，equally distant at all points from both the North Pole and the South Pole，dividing the earth's surface into the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere 赤道
billow ( v．) :surge，swell，or rise like or in a billow(巨浪)奔腾；(波涛)汹
slash (v．) :cut or wound with a sweeping stroke猛砍，乱砍
blot (v．) :make blots on；spot；stain；涂污；玷污；把……弄模糊；遮暗(尤用于bolt out：把……弄模糊；遮暗，遮蔽；掩蔽)
noctilucent (adj.) :designating or of a luminous cloud of unknown composition夜光云的；夜间发光的
shimmer ( v．) :shine with an unsteady light；glimmer闪烁；发出微光
translucent ( adj.) : partially transparent，as frosted glass半透明的
buildup( n.) :a gradual increase in amount，power，influence，etc．；expansion(在数目、力量、影响等方面)逐渐增加，扩大，扩充；集结landfill ( n.) :the disposal of garbage or rubbish by burying it under a shallow layer of ground埋入地下的垃圾
extinction ( n.) :the fact or state of being or becoming extinct (动物的)灭绝，绝种
rip (v．) :cut or tear apart roughly or vigorously撕，扯
spectral ( adj.) : ghostly鬼怪(似)的；幽灵(般)的
skirmish ( n.) :a brief fight or encounter between small groups，usually an incident of a battle小规模战斗；前哨战
disrupt ( v．) :disturb or interrupt the orderly course of扰乱；破坏
ultraviolet ( adj. ) :lying just beyond the violet end of the visible spectrum and having wavelengths shorter than approximately 4 000 angstroms紫外(线)的
equilibrium ( n.) :a state of balance or equality between opposing forces平衡(状态)；平均；相称
axiom ( n.) : maxim格言，箴言
cumulative (adj. ) :increasing in effect，size, quantity，etc．by successive additions；accumulated累积的，堆积的；累加的；(作用、大小、数量等)渐增的
sustenance ( n.) :support生计；支撑；支持，维持
depletion ( n.) :the gradual using up or destruction or capital assets，esp. of natural resources资产(尤指自然资源)的折耗，耗减deforestation ( n.) :the act or action of clearing (land)of forests of trees毁林，滥伐森林
simplistic (adj.) : oversimplifying or oversimplified过分简单化的----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
at stake: to be won or lost；being risked 在胜败关头，冒风险例： This decision put out lives at stake．这一决定，我们的生命就凶吉难保了。